Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1887-12-22
DAKOTA UNION CONVENTION.
Everything Passes of tremendously,
According to a ~Prearranged
Programme.
A Memorial to Congress Praying for
Undivided and Immediate Admis-
sion Adopted.

headed by Maj Edwards, Territorial Veter-
marian Allaway, ~ex-Capital COMMISSIONS
SpauldiBg. Budd Reese OF Trail, j. Z.
Greene, W. H. Becker of Fargo, p. J. Nc
Climber, member OF last council from Rich
land; Editor CARED, wahpeton Times-each
laden with proxies from their respective
counties The forenoon was devoted to
oaucusing for the temporary organization,
and a discussion of the proposed memorial
to congress. Some extreme delegates wanted
an a~llusion to the hopelessness of division
but the conservative elements opposed
hood of Dakota's desire for adj
mission The convention assembled at 1890
in the opera house. which was decorated
with bunting and the legends, @In union
there Is strength" 1851" sLiberty and
ever" l. @. johnson. chairman Of the ex
ecutive committee, called the convention to
order. The formal call was read by secre-
tary Braden. 1t was signed by citizens OF
seventy seven counties. 4 count of the
convention showed sixty-one counties rep
resented by an aggregate of 200 delegates
in person The temporary organization was
effected as follows: Chairman, II. c. Pres
ton, Mitchell; secretaries, d. F. Spalding,
Fargo; f.. II. Burdick, Vermillion; w. W.
Goddard. Minnehahs; W. + Kellogg, James
town. Mr.. Preston took the chat and made
a strong spe sch, setting forth the principal
arguments in favor of one state. He was
enthusiastically applauded. His sentiments
haG especial significance from the fact that
Mr.. Preston had been until recently a Re-
publican divlsionist.
COMMITTEES APPOINTED.
Mr.. Wilson of Pembina was appointed
chairman of the committee on credentials,
which was constituted as follows:
Wilson. Pembina: Van Fps, Minnehaha: Nc
Chesney, Brown: Shoupe, Bon Homme; Purcell.
Richland: Alloway, Grand Forks: Burdick, Clay
Arnold, Edmunds: House, Grant; Moses, San
born; Harrington, Dickey; Ross, Sargent; Ed
wards, Cass Wilson, Faux.
The committee reported as indicated, q
large number of proxies being represented
A letter was read from Granville Bennett of
Black Hills endorsing the movement, and
the convention voted that ex Gov. Penning-
ton OF Yankton be authorized to cast the
vote of Lawrence county. A committee on
organization was made up as follows:
Dodge, Cass county; McCumler, Richland;
Grant. Douglas: East, Yankton: Huntington,
Day: Gale, Lincoln; Russel, Barnes; Ronayne.
aurora; FAY. McIntosh; Alien, Hutchinson;
AAtAAABnghs DukftlR1H 11uAANs iAAAiAAH hhA1lh-
son, La Moure; Gray, Hand; Girfiy, Walworth.
They reported permanent officers as fol-
lows: Chairman, George Rice. Moody; sec
r~etaries, Spaldiug. Kellogg. Goddard, Nash,
Williamson. Mr.. Rice, in taking the chair,
reviewed the history OF the division move
ment to the present time, and designated
this as the most important gathering in the
history of Dakota. A committee on the me
mortal was appointed, as follows:
Pennington OF Yanktou: Reese, Trail; Wright,
Minnehaha; Becker, Cass; Goodykoontz, Da-
vtson; Nash, Lincoln; Van Bus kirk, Codtng-
ton; Frye, Stutsman: Smith, Faulk: Keiser,
Sphinx; Gerreid, Richland: CromwaIl, McPher-
son; Newman, Sargent; Mallory, Dickey; Luce,
Brown.
A lively discussion here followed on the
appointment Of a committee to present the
memorial at Washington. A vote on the
manner Of appointment resulted ina victory
for q prearranged programme. A commit
tee of fifteen was appointed, as follows:
Greene, Cass; Sheldon, Day: LAWYER, Dawson:
Dobbfns. Barnes; sheridan, Pennington; Lauder,
Richlsnd; Stiles, hinnehaha: Runkle, Sargent;
Moore, Brown; Allen. Stutsman: HameisteT.
1ankton: Jewell, Burlelgh; Halves, Hanson;
Wilson, Pembina; Ahovay, Grand Forks.
CONGRESSMAN SPRINGER HEARD FROM.
Those two committees retired and the fol-
lowing letter was read from Congressman
Springer TO l. G. johnson, arousing great
enthusiasm.
This is the first concerted movement on the
part Of the people of Dakota fer single statehood
which has come to my knowledge. Heretofore
the organized efforts OF your people have been
in the direction of the division Of the territory,
while individuals, certain localities and news
papers in the territory have opposed such eff
forts. These col;teading factions among your
own people have had the result of preventing
snv Affirmative action whatever by congress
GAr.A.4A -As-E aAn@ A..N l. N1na Nhn1e
the question Of division of the territory is a
purely local one, concerning only the people of
Dakota. The people of every state In the Union
are equally interested in this question
Mr.. Springer continues at some length TO
show why division is out of the question.
He says he is still and will be unalterably
opposed to the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of Dakota.
though he heartily favors her admission as a
whole. The convention took a recess until
7:30 p m when reports were to be pre-
sented The first business after supper was
the admission of representatives from Lake
and Polette counties A resolution was in
troduced to incorporate the petition for
opening the Sioux reservation in the
memorial but after a short discussion 1t was
laid on the table. The memorial to congress
was presented and adopted by unanimous
rising vote. 1t was followed by an energetic
speech from Gov. Pennington which
was warmly applauded The ex-governor
was rapidly becoming the central figure in
the convention owing to his former stand as
q divisionist and his conversion to the one
state idea.
Ext Of THE MEMORIAL
The memorial is as follows:
To the Congress Of the United States: The
people of Dakota Territory ssembledi in a dele
UaIA ron ypQtlpn rasnnaffully vsnrnspnt that
they are DESTROYS OF the admission of the Terri
tory of Dakot4, az a state into the federal Union.
We are possessed of the requisite population to
entitle Dakota TO representation in the house of
representatives, IN case of admission. We there
fore earnestly petition for the passage by con-
gress of an enabling act authorizing the election
Of delegates 10 a convention for the purpose OF
preparing a constitution republican in form to
the end that the constitution so framed may be
submitted TO a vote OF the people of said terri
tory at the next general election for ratification,
and. If ratified, that Dakota Territory be admit
ted into the Union as the State Of Dakota. Sub
mitted herewith is TIC proceedings of the con-
yentien OF the people on Dakota held 81 the city
OF Aberdeen, Oak. Dsa Is. A. ID. 1887. to all
Of which we earnestly invite your attention and
pray for favorable consideration. [Signedl
doHNL PENNINGTON.
Chairman Memorial Committee,
WILLIAM BECKER;
Secretary Memorial Committee.
The first music of the convention began
when the committee on the Washington del
egation reported. Wright of Sioux Falls OBJ
jected to the delegation as made up on the
ground that North Dakota a more than
her share. He especially objected to the
name of NJ. l. Mccormack A hot discussion
followed, with ex- Gov. Pennington in the
chair, but the usual harmony prevailed and
the report was adopted as follows:
At large, L.. G.. johnson. Nj. L. Mccormack, w.
e. Dodge; first judicial district, G. G.. Bennett.
7. b.. McCarty; second, j. l.. Pennington, r. ii.
Mcbride; third, We. Purcell, A. Garnet: fourth,
c. II. Winson, +. A. Gale: fifth, C. I. Mccoy, j.
G. Lee; sixth, William Thompson, J. A. FRYE.
A committee to print 10000 copies of the
memorial was appointed. A conventional
vote of thanks was extended to everybody,
and the convention ad journed sine die.
MAJ. EDWARDS DisGUsTED.
Maj Edwards left for home tonight dis.
gusted with the result He said to the Pho.
NEEB PRESS reporter: sIll bet 800 / can &c
to Washington and beat any DID committee
they can send there" 1t was the opinion
Of a number of delegates that the
whole business was prearranged in the in
terest of certain individuals and certain
localities. Harmony was the prevailing
sentiment of to-day, but it was a sort OF
harmony that is produced with a club
Every objection to the programme laid out
was voted down In the interest of harmony,
until the term became a veritable Schest-
nut" and provoked laughter at every refer.
ence 10 it Marshal Maratta was on the
ground all day as a member of the Cass
county delegation The speech of Temporary
Chairman Preston was one of the best things
Of the convention, being clear, concise
and withal from a rue Republican
standpoint The convention was moi
as largely attel.ded as its protector,
had hoped but men present were enthusi.
astic What 1t will accomplish at Washing.
ton remains to be seen. ~SprInger's letter i.